7 Tips for a Happy, Healthy Fall

October is here! Woohoo! I know Hungry is excited—Halloween is one of his favorites. What else does October mean? Fall is really here. Those closing their eyes and pretending it’s summer have to stop now. Well, you don’t have to, but come on—there are pumpkins now! I find that everyone I talk to has different opinions about Autumn—fears, loves, and so forth. Some detest it because the weather starts to get too brisk for outside workouts. Others love it because of the hearty produce it yields and the way it makes them feel. If you are ever feeling lost in Fall, here are a few tips to keep you happy and healthy while the leaves change color and drift away:

1. Don’t let the weather keep you inside. Yes, it may be getting colder, or even downright cold in some states, but that shouldn’t keep you confined to your personal quarters. That’s why layers were invented, of course! To allow you to bundle up and go outside, even when the wind threatens to flay you. You can even workout outside when it’s cold! Put as many layers on as you need to and remember—you can always take them off!

Talk about beauty!

Using layers 😉

2. Fight off negativity. Don’t get down on yourself if you find yourself indulging in pumpkin sweets and heavy foods. Negativity is the worst thing you can consume if you’re striving to be a healthy person. Even if you have an unplanned splurge, don’t trash talk yourself. Instead, learn from the moment and move on. Put it in perspective.

Indulgences happen…move on

3. Set a new goal for the fall. This is important because your goals should always be fresh and exciting to you. Otherwise you will fall away into boredom and apathy.

4. Indulge in autumn produce. Just because it’s no longer summer and watermelon isn’t on the daily menu anymore, doesn’t mean you have to resort to boring foods that give you the “blahs.” Even though in most states, it is getting colder, you must remember that Autumn is still a vibrant season with so much to offer! Think squash, pears, pomegranates and more!

5. Find a gym. If it is getting cold, and you find that it deters you from your workouts, find an indoor arena or gym you can perform your preferred workout. It may seem superficial, but atmosphere and environment are huge factors when it comes down to whether or not you will have a good workout, or even workout for that matter! Bite the bullet, hand over some money to either buy yourself some home workout equipment or a gym membership.

Home workouts galore!

6. Try new things. Change is scary, but it’s also really exciting. With new seasons, come change. And what should you do with change? Fight it? No! Embrace it and give it meaning! Learn something new! Try a new form of exercise! Do yoga! Take a dance class! Roll with the punches of nature and use the opportunity to embrace change and try something new.

That time I did a triathlon…

7. Stick with the old. Alright, now you really must think me crazy because now I’m contradicting myself. Contradicting? No! This is simply an add-on. While you embrace the new, hold onto the old that comforts you. It could be your morning routine, it could be your favorite snack, or your favorite drink. For me, it’s my Silk milk that I put in my smoothies and protein shakes. No matter what, my Silk Soymilk or Almondmilk will be there for me, giving me sustenance while the world around me continues to change.

We are all different. We all have our likes and dislikes, our habits and our avoidances. However, one thing is the same, ironically, and that is change. Nature teaches us to accept change and let it nurture us into better people who try new things and have a wider range of experiences. There is always the “old” or our rocks, our foundation that keeps us going to balance the change in our world. If you want more of the old and the new, check out Silk’s Facebook page, which is constantly coming out with new recipes and tips to stay at your happiest, healthiest you. You could also win a year’s worth of Silk products if you sign up for their newsletter.

Even though this may seem like a list of ways to stay healthy throughout the Fall (and it is), the deeper meaning is to allow yourself to experience change (and enjoy it) while balancing yourself with the things that make you who you are and keep you sane. I hope these tips help you along your way in your Autumn journey. As always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: How do you stay healthy during Autumn?

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all ours.

Sep122014

Blaze New Trails: Mizuno Shoes

And I mean, blaze them. What the heck am I talking about? I’m talking about my new pair of favorite shoes–Mizuno’s Wave Kazan shoes. They are truly wonderful. Some of you may know, some of you may not know, and some of you won’t believe that I’m not a big runner. It’s not easy for me. Sometimes, I really struggle through my runs. I’m not one to get a runner’s “high”– that usually comes when I’m beasting lifts. Why am I sharing this? Because I don’t thrive on running, it’s important for me to have good shoes to keep me safe and give me a leg up. If I got any old shoe, I am setting myself back in a farther position. Even worse, I could hurt myself. When I got the opportunity to try the Wave Kazan shoes, it was love at first run.

Pretty neat video, huh? I was first attracted to the shoe because of what it was designed for. The Wave Kazan is designed after Japanese rock gardens. What does this mean? You can use these on any terrain and they will adapt. Concrete, grass, sand, rocks, trails, and so forth–the design makes it all possible. It is incredibly versatile, which I appreciate. I like to go on trails a lot and slipping or twisting my ankle is not going to help out my progress. The Wave Kazan is designed to fight against that possibility and help you push harder and faster through those obstacles or terrains. And guess what? It only weighs 8 ounces. EIGHT OUNCES! It’s so light, it doesn’t even seem real.

My favorite part of the shoe is the heel. It’s hard to describe to someone who hasn’t experienced it. It was so nicely padded and worked with the rough terrain I was on–it truly felt like walking on a cloud. I felt so supported that I had no worries in trail running. Even though the shoes are so light, they are incredibly supportive and protective. You must try a pair to see what I mean! I think my feet may be having a love affair with these shoes…

I’m not writing this review just for the heck of it–I’ve tried these shoes through many terrains. So far, it’s battled concrete, grass, sand, and a hiking trail. This pair of shoes did wonderfully, especially on the trail! The grooves on the bottom allowed me to grip onto rocks that I could’ve otherwise slipped off of. With the amount of injuries Hungry and I get, it’s nice to have equipment that protects against that. This may sound weird, but these shoes allowed me to better connect with the trail. Instead of wearing my normal thick running shoes or hiking boots, the lightness of the shoes and the grips allowed me to feel the trail, if that makes any sense.

Successfully used the shoes on a trail run with these two

If you can’t tell, I really like these shoes. I’m so happy to review them for Mizuno and FitFluential. Check out the Women’s Wave Kazan here, but also look around–there are other types of shoes and plenty for men as well. Use Mizuno shoes to stay hungry and fit!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Fitfluential. All opinions are 100% ours (we actually love this shoe dearly).

Aug152014

What Makes You Great?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Post Great Grains Cereal for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

A big part of being healthy is having a healthy mind. In this context, I’m talking about being positive. Having a positive attitude and outlook is an important part of keeping your health in tip-top shape. It’s important to have a positive attitude regarding others, but even more important regarding yourself. We are always our own worst critic and have an easy time getting down on ourselves. However, negative energy is a serious drain on your mental, emotional, and physical health. It kills motivation, self-respect, self-esteem, and the ability to be kind to others. Positive energy is a lot more important than people think. It can lift us up and keep us high as we reach for our goals in life.

In light of this, Hungry and I made a list of why we’re great. It’s always important to keep a positive attitude about yourself, and making a list of things you love about yourself is a great way to do that. Let’s do it:

What makes Hungry and Fit great…

Our motivation to become better at everything we do
Our undying love for animals
Our love for the outdoors: especially beaches to swim at and forests and mountains to hike through
Our want to help others in their health journey and more
Our desire and willingness to make everybody be healthier–not just a certain population
Our acceptance for our weird selves
Our nerdy side
Our ability to adapt to new surroundings
Our support of one another
Our ability to laugh…a lot
Our independence and being who we are in the face of judgment
Our honesty

Those are just a few of the things that we think make us great. And it makes me feel great to write these down and appreciate us. Post Great Grains Cereal Survey displayed tons of reasons why women all over the country are feeling great. Some of these results included:

“83 percent of women think the greatest obstacle to reaching their full potential is what they think of themselves, rather than what others think of them”
“When women pick the best part of getting older, being comfortable in their skin tops the list, followed by gaining perspective, and feeling a sense of security”

Post Great Grains Cereal also put out a “What Makes You Great?” commercial, urging people to recognize and speak about the factors that make them great. I love that they did this because far too often people wallow in their own self-contempt rather than highlighting their own positive features.

We had the chance to experience some of Post Great Grains new products. We sampled lots of the cerals, including the “Protein” blend and “Digestive” blend. We especially liked the Protein blend. With me being a vegetarian, it’s always important for me to make sure I get a good protein intake. Plus, they are yummy. Our favorite is the Great Grains Protein Blend Cinnamon Crunch. I’m in love with cinnamon flavors and the good fiber and protein makes it a guilt-free way to start the day. That’s something that helps me stay “great.”

Great Grains has an enormous variety of cereals out there right now such as Berry Medley, Vanilla Graham, Banana Nut Crunch, Crunchy Pecans, and more. There’s really a flavor for everyone. And if you’re looking for more fiber or protein, you can grab the Digestive or Protein blends respectively. Great Grains has nutrition you can see with at least 7g of fiber in their Digestive blends and at least 8g of protein in their Protein blends.

It’s important to feed your body nutritiously and stay positive about yourself which is why we love to support the Great Grains Cereal campaign. We will continue nourishing ourselves with their yummy cereal while remembering to stay positive in what makes us great. Check out Great Grains on Facebook. As always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: What makes YOU great? Comment below!